Reproductie van een geschilderd portret van Peter Pantinus before 1897

This reproduction of a painted portrait of Peter Pantinus was made by an anonymous artist at an unknown date, using traditional materials. Although the original painting is lost to us, its reproduction provides a sense of the period’s portraiture style, and the types of skills involved in this creative practice. The handling of oil paint, for instance, allowed for an almost photographic realism, showing every fold in the sitter’s velvet jacket. The artist has also given Peter Pantinus a very knowing look, engaging the viewer directly. The labor of the painting is almost invisible, with the hand of the maker disguised beneath the surface of the image. While in previous eras, artistic skill was mostly put in the service of religion or the state, this portrait is of a private individual, whose wealth allowed him to be immortalized this way. This type of artwork blurs traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, connecting artistic skill to social status.